What Happened to the Tea Party Caucus?

Bachmann still touts the Tea Party Caucus, despite its recent inactivity.

Democrats slam the group as a haven for radicals while conservatives tout membership among their bona fides, but the fact is Rep. Michele Bachmann’s Tea Party Caucus has been inactive for several months.

The caucus, much heralded and well-covered by the press when it was created in 2010 as a congressional conduit for the national movement of the same name, has not announced a public meeting since July, and the group’s Twitter account has been silent since September.

“To say we haven’t been real active is an understatement. We haven’t done anything,” said Texas Republican Rep. Joe L. Barton, a member of the group.

That’s not to say Bachmann has been inactive over that period of time — the Minnesota Republican was a contender for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination from June 2011 to January 2012, during which time the group held no public meetings. After dropping out of the running for the presidency, she was narrowly re-elected to her seat in the House.

Since then, she has been keeping a low profile and trying to rebuild her brand in her district; that may have something to do with the group’s silence, caucus members said.

“There have been a lot of other things going on,” Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland said. “Let’s face it: She had a tight race, a tough race, so she was probably paying attention to that.”

Bachmann declined to be interviewed on the subject in the Capitol.

But spokesman Dan Kotman said the group plans a 113th Congress kickoff meeting next month around tax day, a symbolic date for the tea party, which espouses lower taxes. He said the group has been meeting with activists “behind the scenes” and will ramp up its activity this Congress.

“The main purpose of the Tea Party Caucus is to listen to Tea Party leaders and activists, not be a mouthpiece for the Tea Party,” Kotman said in an email. “We have been listening to and working closely with groups behind the scenes to promote limited government and constitutional values and we will continue to do that going forward.”

The group has re-registered as a caucus in the 113th Congress and has been accepted, according to a letter shared by Kotman. The group’s new membership roster, however, will not be available until the April meeting.

Barton excused the group’s absence by tying it to redistricting. After the decennial redrawing of districts, he said, members require time to get acquainted with their new territories.